There are certain things Costco is known for — oversized bags of chips with 47 servings, massive shopping carts heavy enough to count as your cardio workout for the day if you push them long enough, and a food court loaded with cheap, delicious eats that might drive your cholesterol up a notch or two.
Costco is also known for its extremely generous return policy. As Costco says itself, “We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell.” This means that for the most part, you can bring back any item at any time for any reason and get your money back.
Of course, some members do try to abuse this policy.
As CBS reported, in early 2024, a Costco customer returned a years-old couch, claiming, “I just didn’t like it anymore.”
In fact, members are reporting that Costco has been cracking down on its return policy to prevent members from taking advantage.
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Costco’s return policy has many layers
Although Costco will take back most items at any time, there are some exceptions to that rule.
Electronics bought at Costco, for example, must be returned within 90 days. That category includes:
- TVs
- Computers
- Cell phones
- Tablets
- Smart watches
- Major appliances
There are also rules about returning diamonds that are 1.00ct or larger. Those returns need to be inspected for authenticity, so refunds aren’t issued right away. Rather, they’re issued conditionally and completed once the diamonds are verified.
Related: New hack makes Costco’s $1.50 hot dog easier
Costco also does not allow the following items to be returned:
- Event tickets
- Precious metals
- Shop Cards
- Gift cards
- Special order kiosk items
Costco also warns, “Products with a limited useful life expectancy, such as tires and batteries, may be sold with a product-specific limited warranty.”
Costco’s rules on alcohol returns confuse members
While Costco is generally pretty clear in its return policy rules, one gray area relates to alcohol. Costco’s general rule is that it does not accept returns on alcohol where prohibited by law.
On its website, Costco tries to further clarify: “Since all states have their own laws regulating the return of wine, beer and/or spirits, the best way to find out whether and how you can return your item is to check with your local Costco.”
Still, there have been many Reddit threads, like this one, pondering whether returns are permissible for alcohol. And the responses are interesting.
“Once I accidentally bought a whiskey that was peach flavored. Realized it at home, and didn’t open it. I was able to return it. This was in Texas,” said one user.
“Here in California alcohol is not returnable,” said another.
However, the consensus seems to be that even in states that prohibit the return of alcohol, Costco will try to make things right if there’s a quality issue at play, such as spoiled wine or liquor.
As one user explained, “They can definitely refund you your money legally. They just can’t return the alcohol.”
In other words, you may not legally be able to return alcohol to Costco, but that doesn’t mean Costco can’t issue a refund if the situation warrants it. In that scenario, you’d get your money back and just throw the spoiled product out or pour it down the drain.
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Another user on a separate Reddit thread also had an interesting suggestion. If your state bars Costco from allowing alcohol returns, you can drive to another state and return it.
Of course, this may not be feasible for everyone. The takeaway, therefore, is to make sure to understand Costco’s return policy as it relates to alcohol before buying it. This especially holds true if you’re buying a lot of it for a big event, like a party or wedding, and expect to get stuck with lots of leftovers.
Maurie Backman owns shares of Costco
